I tip figurative hat to the late Cathy Robertson, longtime (lifetime) Thomas Paine Unitarian Church member, who unwittingly and quite casually made mention of contra dancing, which inopportunely, inextricably, and inaccurately linkedin to The Contras who were various United States backed and funded right-wing rebel groups that were active from 1979 to 1990 in opposition to the Marxist Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction Government in Nicaragua, which had come to power in 1979 following the Nicaraguan Revolution.

Anger coursing through my veins
At the injustices that surround
'Equality for all' a fine idea
One that the world resounds

I suppose it's equality at work
When you look at the labor force
Instead of looking any better
The statistics are looking worse

A man curses in public
He is applauded, but
A girl says the same thing
And she's dubbed a slut

Parents teach their boys
To fight for themselves
The girls are trained
To wish their bullies well

Early spring, is there a better time?
For me the answer must be "no".
Birds arrive with songs anew,
The flora starts to slowly grow.

If I had to pick my favorite sight
To mark spring's early gift,
It would be the tulips peeking out
Through snow's waning final drift.

They grow on every continent
With beauty they cannot hide,
From bulbs of Turkish origins
Standing tall with floral pride.

She couldn't have been farther away.
Even though we were sleeping
here, next to each other.

Slow on the draw, to be sure,
it just took me some time
to get better at recognizing
what empty looked like.

And I understand now
just how far away far away can be
when it’s there in front of you.

Nature speaks in silence
From sunlight until sunset
Hours and minutes comprise each day
Letting us decide what actions we will take
Time is her choice about life and death
We are given the option to do our best
Each having a given hour that is unknown
Awaiting her call for us to return home
When that hour arrives we will have our book read
Depicting our achievements and our faults
She will point us in the direction we created

I didn’t know you,
I wondered,
Of your thoughts
Behind your wavy red hair,
The way your emerald eyes,
Saw the world,
The joy in your smile.

I didn’t know you,
I saw you dance in the rain,
the autumn leaves in your hair,
You caught a snowflake.
With your tongue.

I didn’t know you,
I asked for a hug,
You embraced me,
Rubbed my face with the snow,
I was excited,
You were inspired,
I knew you.

Take away my eyes,
I will not see!
Take away my ears,
I will not hear!
Take away my heart,
I will not feel!
Take away my soul,
I will not fear!
Take away my hands,
I will not touch!
Take away my mouth,
I will not speak!
Take away my legs,
I will not run!
Take away my inner child,
I will not know fun!
Take away memories,
And I will have none.
Take it all!

There’s nothing left for
me to have, or give!
Take my life,
So I will not live!

I walked home late the other night
From an evening spent with friends;
Good company, good food, fine wine,
The walk, a perfect end.

I walk along a country lane
To where my home does lie;
No lights, no moon, no clouds
To dim the beauty of the sky

A vixen wails like a distraught child,
By my shoulder the grey lady glides,
I pause, light up a small cigar,
Turn my face up to the skies.

Saint Patrick's Day, or
Feast of Saint Patrick
Lá Fhéile Pádraig
invoke even non Irish to proclaim
Éirinn go Brách
translated as "Ireland Forever."

Though semitic thru and thru
yours truly (me) dons guise of being Irish
trumpeting hoople linked with
the folklore and culture of Emerald Isle
juiced tin he nuff tame afore
thee 2024 Saint Patrick's Day,
(hens this faux written accent
donned to sail hub berate won big todo
fur those peep pull
o' Eire rush deuce cent)

These are puzzling days of our lives.
we speak our minds quickly, when problems arise
not thinking about the look in their eyes
there's no way to run, nowhere to hide
we laugh aloud thinking that we've won
when we walk away from promises made
our relationships will eventually fade
think then about the things that you say
and find a kinder, peaceful way!
to communicate with those you meet each day!.